scooj

Thursday doors – 14 November 2024 – Exeter doors

Doors 286 – Doors from Exeter, Devon – Part III, October 2023

This week I continue with my stroll around Exeter in October 2023 with a set of doors from the area around the cathedral. Naturally, I cherry-pick the doors I photograph, and for every gem, there are dozens of duds. I wouldn’t want you to think that Exeter, or any other English city I have featured, is jammed full of stunning period buildings – if only that were true. Unfortunately, the war and ensuing modern town planning destroyed swathes of beautiful old and ancient buildings, and those that remain are like J.R.R. Tolkein’s ents.

Enjoy the doors:

The colonel's house green door, Exeter, October 2024 — The colonel’s house green door, Exeter, October 2024

Formal doorway with portico and wonky door, Exeter, October 2024

Exeter Guildhall and door, Exeter, October 2024

A 'keep out' kind of door on a ruin, Exeter, October 2024 — A ‘keep out’ kind of door on a ruin, Exeter, October 2024

Studded black door, Exeter, October 2024

Ghost door in a wall, Exeter, October 2024

Door beyond a gateway, Exeter, October 2024

That’s yer lot for this week. Next time I will post some pretty special doors from the cathedral grounds, in this continuing series from Exeter.

If you have made it this far, you probably like doors, and you really ought to take a look at the No Facilities blog by Dan Anton who has taken over the hosting of Thursday Doors from Norm 2.0 blog. Links to more doorscursions can be found in the comments section of Dan Anton’s Thursday Doors post.

by Scooj

6518. St Werburghs tunnel (458)

Unknown Artist, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024

I tend not to post too many pieces by unknown artists, but sometimes you just have to go for it… I can’t know everything (indeed, I don’t know very much). This haunting piece at the farm end entrance to the tunnel features a girl with a ball and a crow flying towards her. There is something rather tender and innocent about the piece, and it would not be out of place as an illustration in a children’s book.

While the artwork might lack sophistication, it is captivating, and probably deliberately vague. It feels ghostly and ephemeral, almost as if it would disappear if you glanced away. I haven’t seen any other artwork like this around Bristol, although I could be mistaken, but I certainly hope that more such pieces appear – perhaps with a signature.

6517. M32 roundabout J3 (637)

Sled One, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024

Sled One is another artist whose street work comes in peaks and troughs… nothing for ages and then several come along in quick succession. He is on a roll at the moment, and this beautiful combination piece was painted alongside the Smak piece that I posted a day or two ago.

This surreal piece is quite magnificent, featuring a skull character smoking a cigarette whose lighter appears to have quite a high flame setting, The humorous piece is beautifully composed and clean as a whistle. The letters SLED are interesting in that they are large for a signature or small to be on terms with the character, but that is Sled One for you, he does what he does, and always does it brilliantly.

6516. Dean Lane skate park (777)

Mr Crawls and Mote, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024

Although they appear to have slowed down ever so slightly, Mote and Mr Crawls continue to keep us entertained with their creative monster collaborations. This one on the swimming pool wall has quite a festive feel about it, although it is a little early for Christmas, not that anyone told the supermarkets!

Mr Crawls, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024

Set on a gold background, which is a progression from their recent penchant for chrome, Mr Crawls has painted one of his bird characters, it might be a penguin, looking mighty cold, wearing a woolly hat and with icicles dangling from its bill. The coloured blobs dotted around the character work incredibly well, adding a dimension our feathered friend.

Mote has created a monster unlike any other, but which holds a certain fascination in its unusualness. Some aspects of the character resemble ET, but I think that this is coincidental rather than planned. There is something a little haunting about this monster, which I guess is appropriate for the Halloween period.

6515. St Werburghs tunnel (457)

Dun Sum, St Werburghs, Bristol, October 2024

I was fortunate enough to watch on for a little while as Dun Sum was painting this imaginary beetle-like insect, in the tunnel, and I am not sure that I would have twigged that it was Dun Sum had Hypo not been there to inform me.

Dun Sum’s fantasy creatures are the hallmark of his outstanding artwork, most of which is displayed in L Dub, but occasionally we get to enjoy his work in central Bristol. This clever piece might well go unnoticed by many, as it is an augmentation of a Stivs piece that has been here in the tunnel for several months. It is so good to see this kind of creative work from Dun Sum.

Stivs, St Werburghs, Bristol, February 2024

6514. Brunel Way (300)

Scrapyardspec, Brunel Way, Bristol, October 2024

Technically speaking, this wall, the remains of a derelict utility building, is not beneath Brunel Way, but it is as near as damn it, and it can be observed from the road looking upstream towards the south bank of the river. I am rather fond of this little spot, and there have been some wonderful small pieces painted here over the years.

Scrapyardspec seems to be visiting Bristol rather a lot these days, and I am beginning to wonder is he is a little bit more local than I had originally thought, perhaps living somewhere between Bristol and the South East. The wall lends itself very well to Scrapyardspec’s quirky characters, and this one is another in a series painted in Bristol recently. The wobbly portrait with psychedelic eyes and green tongue is quite distinct and unique, and becoming something of a regular presence in the city.

6513. Dean Lane skate park (776)

Mr Draws, Dean Lane, Bristol, October 2024

Whales have been quite a common theme in Mr Draws’ artwork, both in the studio and on walls big and small. I guess that these large mammals are representative of the threats and opportunities for our planet, and something I know Mr Draws cares a lot about. This piece combines his writing with nature, a concept I wholly endorse.

The letters DRAWS provide a backdrop for the blue whale character and some greenery. It was painted as part of a Halloween paint jam and there is plenty of symbolism in the piece, where the underlying message is that if you meddle with nature we are walking down the path of doom. Cheery huh? Great stuff from the thoughtful Mr Draws.

6512. Greenbank (139)

Astrea, Greenbank, Bristol, October 2024

I tend to get quite excited when new artists begin to make a mark with their work, especially when you can see a style develop and confidence grow with each new piece. Astrea, who when I first encountered her operated under the moniker of HNH, is one such artist, and I am enjoying the challenge of finding her work in a variety of Bristol spots.

Astrea’s abstract style is different and refreshing. It looks like she has used paint brushes in this piece to be able to get such sharp lines. The overall effect is aesthetically pleasing with curved lines framing the whole thing nicely. The two-tone colour selection is very effective, although I think that the circle at the top should have been filed with the brilliant white used for the rest of the fills. Excellent and original work from Astrea.

6511. St George’s Road

Jody, St George’s Road, Bristol, October 2024

I happened to glance up at the right time when I was driving past this piece by Jody. First the pink caught my eye, and then the distinctive signature led me to stop the car (pulling over safely). The board is in a really unusual spot, attached to the wall on the side of Triodos Bank, and very close to the building where I work, and not a place you’d expect to find street art.

The piece is a commission for the organisation called One Question, and this is the information I could find on the Interweb:

One Question is a global advisory organisation that seeks to understand how societal forces impact businesses. In Bristol, One Question launched a pilot project in September 2024 to explore the question, “Who is responsible for our mental health?”. The project involved a conversation with businesses, policymakers, the local community, and institutions. The conversation was intended to share challenges, find common ground, and explore new ideas.

Regular readers will know that I am not all that keen on advertising street art, but with this piece I am trying to see beyond the corporate identity and promotion and focus on Jody’s wonderful artwork which presents some wonderful themes and scenes from Bristol. An unusual piece in an unusual place, which demonstrates how commissions contribute to the overall street art scene.

6510. M32 roundabout J3 (636)

Smak, M32 roundabout, Bristol, October 2024

It is easy to become complacent, living in Bristol, when it comes to street and graffiti, and to take it for granted that we have something rather special, that most cities in the country or the world, simply don’t have. The graffiti sub-culture is thriving and grows both local talent and attracts artists form far and wide to get out there and paint walls. Artists like Smak, who are at the top of their game, are not a rarity, but common, such is the strength and depth of the field of artists.

This is a beautiful combination piece of outstanding writing accompanied by a comedy cartoon skull wearing a graffiti crown. The letters, which are easy to pick out, are beautifully proportioned and designed, and painted in prime colours, which you don’t see all that often. A wonderful piece from a gifted artist.

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